Ready for the first ski run of the year? From Bergamo to Valtellina, here are the destinations for a skiing holiday in Lombardy. Breathtaking slopes, snow parks for children, night time snowshoe walking and genuine flavours.

1. Peaks overlooking the valleys of Bergamo
Whether you are a beginner or a champion, the Bergamo valley snow scene has got something for everyone. Let’s start with Val Seriana. In the Presolana-Monte Pora ski area you can spend whole days without ever taking off your skis. The 22 slopes in the Monte Pora ski area are all interconnected and some even open at night, weather permitting. Presolana offers 12 km of slopes. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art snow-making system and is considered the ideal proving ground for beginners. Next stop is Val di Scalve: the longest and most challenging slopes can be found in Colere. Schilpario is a cross-country skiing  paradise. This year you can get the Orobie Passe-Partout, a five-day ski pass that can be used in both areas, not necessarily on consecutive days. Last but not least comes Foppolo, queen of the snows, located 40 kilometres from Bergamo. Its 14 slopes extend for more than 40 kilometres, with seven lift systems.

2. In the Lecco area, one hour from Milan
You can be at the foot of the ski lift in one hour from Milan. Yes, even Lecco is within the city’s range for a ski outing and offers 36 kilometres of slopes in the Piani di Bobbio – Valtorta area.  The highest peak is Orscellera at 1950 metres. As you schuss downhill, you can see the city you left behind you on a clear day. The ski area is perfect for beginners but has a couple of black runs for  the more experienced, including the Pista dei Tre Signori. Another destination is Pian delle Betulle, a pasture in the upper Sassina Valley. You can get there in five minutes by cable car from the town of Margno. It’s sometimes known as the last paradise, because no cars are allowed. There you will find one black run, three red runs and two blue runs for a total of 12 km of skiing. The breathtaking view takes in Lakes Como and Lugano as well as the Italian and Swiss Alps.

3. On the slopes from Montecampione to Tonale
The Ponte di Legno-Tonale ski area is a must for anyone who loves mountains in winter.  It offers 100 km of slopes, including the longest in Europe, a breathtaking 11 km of downhill run from the Presena Glacier in Ponte di Legno. Downhill skiing experts can enjoy themselves off piste while non-skiers can decamp to the Panorama 3000 Glacier, a ski bar at the top of Mount Adamello. Still in the Brescia area, the other snow capitals are Montecampione and Maniva. You can get to Montecampione by train: the nearest station, Piancamuno, is 20 minutes away and you can continue your journey by shuttle. Twenty slopes, 30 km of descent and the magnificent impression of being on a white terrace overlooking Lake Iseo. Towards Garda, Maniva Ski is an ideal ski area for families with children. It has 40 km of slopes. The best view here is from the Dasdana chairlift, which offers beautiful views over Garda and Monte Rosa.                                                                     Read more

4. In Valtellina, snow parks and free riders
Bormio and Santa Caterina, Livigno, Aprica, Madesimo, Valmalenco… Valtellina is the kingdom of skiing. For children, the recently extended Bormio 2000 fun slope has been joined by another in Valbella, which also offers boxes, jumps, tunnels and banked turns. The Snow park is another new arrival offering yet another reason for choosing the Bormino area, with110 km of slopes and the three ski areas (Bormio, Santa Caterina Valfurva and Cima Piazzi- San Colombano) connected by a free bus and accessible using a single ski pass. The ski season is practically year-round in Livigno. Blue, red and black runs cover 115 km of slopes with walls, adrenaline-charged slopes and more reassuring slopes for learners. There's a snow park here too: the one in Mottolino is considered one of the best in Europe. The Aprica & Corteno ski area is considered “easier”, partly due to its mild climate. While the adults swoop around at the top, children can practice on the learner slopes. Madesimo (40 km of slopes plus 20 off piste) is also very popular with free riders, and offers plenty of high-speed thrills along classic tracks such as Vanoni, Italo Pedroncelli and Valsecchi. Another enchanting spot is Valmalenco, with 50 km of slopes winding through Pizzo Scalino, Monte Disgrazia and Bernina. The thrilling Snow Eagle is the longest cable car ride in Europe: it shoot upwards by 1000 m in just four minutes.                                                               Read more